Oakland



Jan. 31, 1956 OAKLAND 2,732,978

FLEXIBLE OIL CAN Filed Dec. 9, 1950 E/NER OAKLAND A TTORNE United States Patent FLEXIBLE on. CAN Einar. Oakland, Long Beach, Calif. Application December 9,- 1950, sen-hm. 200,003

ZClaims. (Cl. 222-215 The presentinvention relates to the field of oiling devices, and more particularly to an oil can that is fabricated'rr'omaresilient deformable plastic material.

Although oil cans as such are relatively old, the

opaque it is impossible to determine the'amount of fluidina can without removing the spout therefrom.

A metallic oil can has the further disadvantage that being relatively small, it is destroyed or damaged by; falling heavy objects in a machine shop or when run over by' a vehicle in a service station or garage.

The primary purpose in devising the present-invention is to provide an oil can that eliminates the disadvantagesabovementioned.

A major object of the present invention is to supply an oil can which is deformable when subjected to an exterior force and which returns to its original shape, when pressure is' removed, is transparent or translucent to permit the quantity offiuid in the can to be easily determined at a glance, and is' safe to use in that the flexible spout simply bends when it is accidentally contacted by an individual.

Another object of the invention is to furnish. an oil canin which the tightnessof the seal between the. spout and"fluid=holding container is increased as the spout is subjected to a pulling action or' when the base or the. spout is grasped between the fingers of the user and subjected to pressure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an oil can that maybecollapsed: into a compact unit when shipped in, quantity from the manufacturer to the; distributor. or retailer.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following descriptionofthe preferred form thereof, and from the drawing illustrating, that form in which:

Figure L is a combined side elevational and vertical cross sectional view of the plasticoil can;

Figure 2 is a plan view of" the device taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.;,

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the spout taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a combined side elevational and vertical cross sectional view of the oil can in a deformed position;

Figure 5 is a combined side elevational and vertical cross sectional view of the fluid containing portion of the invention showing the manner in which the container is deformed from its normal position to one that occupies considerably less space; and

- of the-side" walls 17 is secured by any Figure 6; is a combined side elevatibnal and" vertical crosssection'al view of the fluicl containihg onies of" the; invention, and -tae-mpmu thereof sealed by a closure:

keferrin'g now to Figures 1- and2- for thegeneral r5 rangement of the invention, it will be seen" that it iiielude a; tapering elongatedspout S that is afliited" toa fluid-holding contaihe'r-C. Both thespout and the cofie tainer are preferably formed of one ofthe' synthetic pus tics; rubber, or a rubber-like material that is either trans: parent" or translucent to permit the quantity of fluidf F in the" container to be ascertained without removalof the spout. where a number of oil cans are in use inthe same plant, garage, shop, or the like, with each can holdinga different fluid, the container or spout, or both of; the invention may bedistinctly' colored to" indicate the; type offiuid heldther'eirr. v

The spout S is formed as an integral ,unit with an elon? gated member 10 through which a longitudinallyextending-b'ore 11 is formed and-that is provided on one end with an annular cover 13 from which flange 14 depends; The cross sectional area of the bore 11- is of oval shape and: gradually decreases as the bore-approaches the upper nee end of-- the spout S. It will be noted that the thickness of the side walls 12 of the spout likewise decrease in thicknessas-they approach the free end of the spout. When formed in such a manner the spout 8 may be bent into a curved position as shown in Figure 4, whereyit will remain for a sufficiently long period of time before re? turning to its" initial position to permit the oiling of ma chine-parts that are situa-ted'in cramped quarters As seen in Figure I, the cover 13 tapers'upwardly slightly and the circu-mt'erentially extending flange 1'4 tapers; inwardly in: order to grip the mouth portion of the container Cas willherei'hafter'be' described.

Container C is preferably formed from a flat annular plate 16*fi'o'm which side walls 17 extend upwardly. The vertical cross-sectional" shape of the side walls-1:7, as may be: seen in Figure I, is substantially semi spherical. Side walls 17 terminate at theirupper; ends in an, annular flange lsthat tapers outwardly'to substantially the same d'egree as flange 1'4 tapers inwardly. An openihg 19' by which. the eontair'ie'ri C is either filled or emptied, isde fined by the inner face of the flange -18.

Plate 1 6- is: relatively rigid compared to the material from-,whichthe balance-ofthe ihvention is formed. though sheet plastic may be used in the fabrication of plate 163;. irhas been found from experience that sheet brass, or the like, ismo're suitable for this purpose, A grooved portion 20 circumferentially extendsaround'thej plate 16 iii-which the Iowere'rid of sidewalls 17 are no tioned. A seal betweenthe plate 16 andthe lower edge conventional bond: process suchaslieat, cemennor other means normally employed" in effecting a seal betwenbrassi, anda plastic material. Plate 16 may be made. more. resilient hyrformr ing' an annular indentedl portion. 21: therein as shownzim Figurel, I The use and operationof thet invention is-.-ext-r.em elty simple, Fluid E is placed in. the container; through the opening 19; and: the flange- 14iiss them-stretched; to siipv overthetlange I8; Flange r182is;-forr-ned vvith: at sufficiently heavy wall section as to be relatively rigid but somewhat deformable. The spout S is easily disengaged from the container C by Slipping flanges 14 and 18 out of contact with one another. Should the spout S have an outward force exerted thereon to separate it from the container C, the diameters of cover 13 and flange 14 decrease, and fiange 14 grips the exterior of flange 18 to prevent such separation. Thus, the possibility of fluid spilling from container C due to sudden lifting of the assembly by the spout S is eliminated.

Patented. Jan. 31,1956

the thumb and second and third fingers of the hand. In

the present invention the plate 16 is engaged by the thumb, and cover 13 engaged by the second and third fingers. As pressure is applied to plate 16 and cover 13, the space is container C decreases, causing the ejection of fluid F contained therein through spout S. Increased pressure on the fluid F will not cause it to leak from the container C, as pressure on cover 13 deforms the somewhat rigid flange 18 outwardly to increase its diameter and stretch flange 14 to form a fluid-tight seal therewith.

Substantially the maximum deformation of container C is shown in Figures 4 and 5. It will be noted in Figure 5 that as container C is deformed, the upper edge of flange 18 is lowered a distance L. This deformed shape of the container C is particularly useful as the spout S may be bent downwardly and caused to assume the curved position shown in phantom line in Figure 4. When so positioned the spout occupies an annular space 22 formed between flange 14 and side walls 17. It will be apparent that when in this form the invention occupies a minimum of space, as the top of flange 18 has been lowered a distance L, and the spout S is positioned in groove 22 to substantially occupy same. Thus, the invention may be stored in a minimum of space when not in use, and likewise transported with ease, and without danger of denting or damaging the cans while in transit.

When a flexible, tough plastic such as polyethylene manufactured by Du Pont de Nemours of Wilmington, Delaware, is used in the fabrication of the invention, the spout S and container C have suflicient resiliency to return to their normal shape after release from the distorted position shown in Figures 4' and 5. It will, of course, be apparent that fluid F is removed from the container C before deformation into the shape shown in Figures 4 and 5.

On occasion it may be desired to'provi-de a closure for the container C. Such a closure 30 is shown in Figure 6 that includes a flat annular cover 13 from which a flange 14 depends downwardly and inwardly. The closure 30 is fabricated from a resilient plastic material with the result that the flange 18' is gripped in a fluid-tight seal by flange 14. Downward pressure applied to the closure 30 simply increases the tightness of the seal between the flange 14 and flange 18 as previously described in connection'with spout S.

Although the invention herein shown and described is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is. to be understood that it is merely illustrative of thepresently preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is not limited to the details of construction herein shown and described other than as defined in the appended claims.

, The invention claimed is:

1. An oil can adapted to be disposed in a space-saving position when not in use which includes: a fluid-holding container having an annular bottom from which a continuous semi-spherical sidewall extends upwardly to terminate in an integrally formed tubular flange of substantial rigidity, said tubular flange having a smooth upwardly and outwardly extending exterior surface and an angularly disposed upper surface which define a sharp circumfer'entially extending edge attheir junction, said sidewall being fabricated from a 'non-metallic flexible material of such thickness as to provide suflicient rigidity to enable said sidewall to normally retain said semi-spherical shape, with said tubular flange being fabricated from a substantially rigid material; a tubular discharge spout formed from a non-metallic flexible material, with the wall thickness of said spout being sufiicient to enable said spout to be self-supporting when said can is in an upright position, but said spout capable of being bent to fit within an annular recess formed in said sidewall when said neckis moved downwardly to bring the lower portion thereof into a position adjacent said bottom; a resilient downwardly and outwardly inclined annular cover integrally formed with the lower end portion of said spout;

' and a resilient flange of uniform thickness extending downwardly and inwardly from the circumferential edge portion of said annular cover to grip said tubular flange with sufficient force that said spout is not displaced from said container when said spout is disposed in said recess, the internal diameter of said resilient flange tending to contract upon application of outward force to said spout, with said tendency to contact causing said resilient flange to be anchored to said tubular flange.

2. An oil can adapted to be disposed in a space-saving position when not in use which includes: a fluidholding container having an annular bottom from which a continuous semi-spherical sidewall extends upwardly to terminate in an integrally formed tubular flange of substantial rigidity, said tubular flange having a smooth upwardly and outwardly extending portion that terminates in a sharp circumferentially extending upper edge, said sidewall being fabricated from a non-metallic flexible material of such thickness as to provide suflicient rigidity to enable said sidewall to normally retain said semi-spheri- 1 cal shape, with said tubular flange being fabricated from a substantially rigid material; a tubular discharge spout formed from a non-metallic flexible material, with the wall thickness of said spout being suflicient to enable said spout to be self-supporting when said can is in an upright position, but said spout capable of being bent to fit within an annular recess formed in said sidewall when said tubular flange is moved downwardly to bring the lower portion thereof into a position adjacent said bottom; an annular cover integrally formed with the lower end portion of said spout; and a resilient flange of uniform thickness extending downwardly and inwardly from the circumferential edge portion of said cover to grip said tubular flange with sufficient force that said spout is not displaced from said container when said spout is disposed in said recess, the internal diameter of said resilient flange tending to contract upon application of outward force to said spout, with said tendency to contract causing said resilient flange to be anchored to said tubular flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,956,146 Burton Apr. 24, 1934 2,073,303 Holder Mar. 9, 1937 2,098,128 Bailey Nov. 2, 1937 2,207,176 Phillips July 9, 1940 2,213,404 Nast Sept. 3, 1940 2,482,384 Tullgren et a1 Sept. 20, 1949 2,614,727 Robinson Oct. 21, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 549,361 Great Britain 4 Nov. 18, 1942 

